Two Truths and One Lie
by blynkrayne
Summary: It's been a very long week after a very long six months and Luna is ready to go home. With some help from Neville (and Ginny), Luna discovers home isn't quite where she left it. Muggle American AU, now complete.
1. Chapter 1

Luna drowsed on the plane. She was on board a short connection to be followed by a four hour layover, a nine hour flight, and then she'd be home. Well not quite door to door but the brisk walk from Reagan National to Crystal City would really clear her head. The conference abroad had been incredible, full of sights and smells that only could be found in the French countryside. The networking had gone well, each attendee was very clearly in the same category of nerd as she so conversation flowed easily and there was always that common thread if someone walked up midway through a story.

The last night, she'd begged off attending an informal group dinner in lieu of going back to her hotel to catch up on stateside emails and get a little time to recharge. Luna also wanted to check in on Ginny who'd promised to drop in to water plants, get mail, probably eat everything in the fridge, and pretend like she lived alone.

Couldn't really blame her. Despite the lack of private laundry Luna much preferred having her retreat from the chaos of their social circle. Ginny had been living with Harry and Ron in a three bedroom townhome, nicknamed BurrowDeux or just the Deuce. Given the proximity to local nightspots and a sports bar famous for serving Sunday's bottomless brunch, it became a popular pre-game, post-game, no-game-needed gathering spot. The house really felt like one of those places where you were always welcome and never needed to knock.

That is until Ron got his first paycheck from DC United and promptly moved out, having decided that roommates simply didn't fit his new lifestyle. When Ron left, Neville promptly moved into the empty room while he completed his master's degree at Georgetown and he brought a few familiar faces back into the fold.

But over the years Harry was rarely home, traveling most weeks of the year, only using his room for required bathing/sleeping activities (though full disclosure, he'd been doing more of the latter in Ginny's room anyway) before setting off again and it wasn't long before he sold what he could and moved the rest into Ginny's room or storage.

Luna couldn't imagine that life. Glancing around her hotel room, she shuddered. While it was quite lovely to sit by the open window of the recently renovated but still historic stone building, hearing the voices of the Christmas market and smelling the crepes from the shop below, she was achingly homesick.

This conference though, was really the pinnacle of her career this year having given a presentation that seemed well received even if people seemed a bit mystified. Sure there are plenty of ways you could keep churning out product but if you don't stop to explore the realms of the customer experience what did it all mean?

Luna paused mid-email flurry and considered alternate-Ithaca-Tom. It was a phrase she and Ginny passed back and forth after listening to a Moth podcast where the orator described an out of body experience while traveling, getting a sense of a fully realized alternate version of himself that had gone to Ithaca for university, made several diverging life choices, and the subsequent sharp pangs of feeling made her wonder where alternate-Ithaca-Luna was tonight.

Right now it was all so incredibly exhausting and again the thought of home... a shower, her bed, debriefing Ginny on all the quirks and tribulations of being a woman in STEM, and seeing if her orchid was any closer to blooming. They were fickle, orchids, and this one in particular had never bloomed under her care. One of those 50% scratches and dings discounted plants at the local hardware store.

She took a deep breath to stave off the tears. Luna felt overtired like maybe she should have stayed up a few more hours than have attempted sleep at all. Napping on the plane wasn't happening, the elderly couple behind her kept adjusting and readjusting the tray table. Either it worked or it didn't, she didn't understand why they kept fussing with it.

Slowly, after the lights dimmed, she was able to drift off to restless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Jostled awake by the vibration of the final landing gear of the day, Luna groggily wiped her eyes. The sky was also crying, tracing tear drops of rain down the window. Seemed light enough though that she wouldn't get too soggy on her quarter mile walk home.

Somehow she was even more tired than before, just a thin veneer of human skin miraculously and inhumanely made only of exasperation and despair just shambling down the aisle of the plane, attempting not to collapse in upon itself like a week old mylar balloon at baggage claim, and finally stopping only to blink rapidly in the fresh fall air of northern Virginia.

Shockingly, Ginerva Weasley was on time. There she was in all her damp and irrepressible resplendent glory, such a sight for sore eyes, leaning against her bicycle on the bridge to Terminal A. Luna finally cracked a crooked smile and went to embrace her friend.

"My god, Gin, it's so good to see you! I thought for sure I'd just take the Mount Vernon trail home to find you asleep on my couch, television blaring."

"I know, I know, past results bugger all those future predictions," the girl's wry grin seemed even more chimeric than normal. "Just couldn't wait to see you home that's all."

Puzzled but shrugging it off, Luna turned to leave the unique gateway to hell that was a terminal threshold but Ginny put a hand out to pause.

"There's something I should tell you first."

"Oh no, did the orchid die? I knew I should have had Neville look after the conservatory instead."

Ginny chuckled. "Nonsense. You were gone for two weeks. Orchids need at least a month under my care before perishing from this earth."

Luna sagged a bit, relieved. They'd finally regained normalcy after the holiday party to celebrate the New Year but she'd hesitated to ask Neville to look after her plants and have free reign to wander through her apartment.

Imaging him lounging on her couch, delicately misting the fox footed fern, or potentially peeking into her bedroom would be too much to bear. Much easier to put that one drunken ill-timed kiss behind them and ask Ginny to look after her plants. Sweet Ginny, who currently looked mischievous enough to have also eaten everything in the freezer as well.

"About Neville though..." Ginny trailed off and tilted her head to the curb.

Luna followed her gaze and while her eyes widened she had enough composure not to let her jaw drop.

There, standing on the curb beside of his reasonably sized hybrid SUV, was Neville himself. He was talking to a police officer who was surely telling him that the yellow zone was for loading and unloading only and that if he wanted to park he'd have to use a garage. Neville gestured towards the airport, towards her, and locked her gaze.

Ginny's grin practically exploded. "We knew you'd want to walk straight home but seeing as it's a dreary day in America's capital, Neville agreed to pick you up." As if seeing the slight wistful hesitation in Luna's expression she continued, "so you better not keep him waiting. I think he's got a surprise."

"Gin..."

"Lu..."

"Gin..."

"I know, I know, but I've fully vetted the whole thing."

"What? Whole thing? Did Neville kidnap my orchid?"

"No time to explain, if you don't give Neville a purpose on the curb then that officer will write him a citation." With that, Ginny shifted her bike away from the railing and strapped on her helmet.

"...but your bike in the rain?"

"It's more like a light mist and anyhow I still have a few items to collect at your flat before I go home. Oh! And the rest of that documentary to watch." Ginny gave Luna another quick hug. "Go."

Just as quickly Ginny was off, navigating through a family and stroller before mounting her bike and setting off down the trail Luna wished she could follow. Fate, and Neville, had other plans.

"Hey, let me grab that." Ever the astute gentleman, Neville had already opened the car door and went to grab her bag. She let him lift it into the boot and made herself comfortable in the front seat.

It was only a five minute drive to her place, the radio was on the Baltimore rock station, and it seemed they'd only have a chance exchange minimal small talk before he dropped her at the front door of her building.

Ever the conscientious driver, she cocked her head when he passed her exit and continued toward his own which was also on the way to Ginny's favorite bottomless brunch place.

"Excuse me, have you forgotten the way?" she queried, politely but a touch terse having been traveling the majority of the day she was in no mood for brunch or hijinks.

"I know, slight change of plans, but you really can't imagine the nest Ginny's made at your place. This gives her time to set things straight."

"What kind of nest? Isn't that done by pregnant women? She neglected to mention the status of her womb."

Neville chuckled, "she's not pregnant but I wanted to offer you the option of brunch with Harry, Hermione, and me or a shower and nap at the Deuce."

Luna smiled sadly and pondered, she'd turned down that dinner at a conference, slept through dinner service on the plane, but didn't have the energy for bottomless brunch either.

"Well if my own shower isn't available, the room of requirement will suit." She turned her head to look out the window, weary of further conversation about why she didn't want brunch. Neville, ever the conssumate gentleman, didn't press for details.

Last year after a string of defunct roommates Ginny dubbed their current vancancy as the room of requirement because nobody ever seemed to stay for long and many guests passed through on their way back from a night out or early mornings on the way to the airport.

In the house there were three bedrooms upstairs. The first, the master suite, belonged to Ginny since the day they moved in and she declared the bay window was perfect for setting up her bicycle trainer during the winter months. Luna figured the large size of the room also justified a Harry-shaped addition.

The second, the middle suite, belonged to Ron before Neville and seemed wholly unremarkable. It had north light and was perfect for low light plants, Luna assumed it was essentially an indoor jungle at this point.

The third, a converted den at the back of the house above a questionably constructed garage, hardly seemed to be large enough to be habitable but Harry's early childhood in the orphanage didn't yield many personal mementos. After the housewarming party and Harry's departure a year later Luna simply never walked down the hallway that far. She assumed it still existed, a room couldn't just vanish.

Luna definitely considered the Deuce as cozy as her own home but something was still off about this day. At the last stop light before the left turn to lead him home, Neville almost made the turn before hesitating and allowing the light to cycle. His hands gripped and regripped the wheel, slightly off pace from the beat of the song on the radio when normally he was almost perfectly in sync.

Curious. "Neville, are you nervous about the rain?" He smiled slightly but shook his head no and deigned not to answer.

"What has Ginny done to my flat?" Luna pressed, leaning towards the center console to see if the lies were leaking out of his eyes.

He did a double-take, slightly startled by her proximity but then the light changed and he made the turn. The rain had mostly moved on but the streets were slick.

"Your flat is fine, nothing to be worried about." He glanced at her, she was still watching his careful measured words and he stammered like he hadn't done in years. "...w-well Ginny mentioned you coming back and how the conference was 'such a drain' and I remembered how much she put you through after her last stay at your flat."

Luna's eyes widened and she sat back in her seat. Weeks. It had taken weeks of her things wandering around before they found the places where they were meant to be.

"So I suggested brunch or the Deuce for a night in and Gin, well, she's Ginny. Please don't be mad at her."

Luna smiled as they pulled into the drive, it really did sound wonderful to be able to do laundry straight away and there was still a change of her clothes in Ginny's room from St. Patricks' weekend. "Thank you Neville, you're quite considerate."

If she's still been looking for lies a slight flush might have betrayed him, but her hand was already on the door handle and he was at the boot to take her bag and hand her the keys.

Funny, she knew where there was a spare hidden and that if one shimmied the bathroom window just right they could get in, but had never had the need. There was something rather weighty and warm about his keys, she absently traced her finger over the car logo and opened the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Her heart fluttered, the shade was drawn over the normally bright southern window and a savory waft of crockpot stew threw the boisterously decorated room into soft repose. The lamp Luna found at the thrift store, too big for her flat, was the only illumination on the cloudy drizzly day.

Turning back to Neville, Luna only had to raise an eyebrow before he sheepishly shrugged, "I had a hunch you'd not pick brunch and I wanted to make it feel like home." Then he lugged her bag upstairs with Luna trailing behind.

Neville deposited her bag in the room of requirement, a wreck except for a crisply made bed and a note on the duvet, then just as quickly the sound of his footsteps receeded the hall and descended the stairs.

The note simply read "Don't be mad, sorry-not-sorry. Love, G". Curious and curiouser.

Luna rifled through a drawer bursting with clothes, throwing a green pair of shorts and one of Ron's jerseys onto the bed before unceremoniously dumping out her suitcase and separating the laundry from the miasma. Satisfied the machine in the hall was on its way to blissfully funk free clothes Luna went back into the 'bathroom of requirements' to shower.

On the threshold, she froze.

It was sparkling clean, counter clear of everything save a plush lilac robe and a scandalous set of blue lingerie shorts and camisole. Another note, carefully pinned to the silk hem read "Surprise! Still not sorry. He doesn't know about these, make good choices. ;)"

Luna drew her phone from her pocket and dialed Ginny. No answer. Called again with no response. Deciding against leaving a voicemail to furiously type out a text message.

_LL: What's this?_

_GW: Consider it a welcome home gift!_

Luna tried calling again, exhausted and not wanting to play Ginny's game. During the voicemail intro the phone beeped. Response text.

_GW: We've missed you terribly and all chipped in on a robe after what happened last time._

_LL: You owe slippers too._

_GW: I know, I know._

_LL: Did you hide them? If they were a snake __would they bite me? Why is N so jumpy?_

_GW: No slippers. It was Nev's idea to turn the Deux into your oasis. I just played along._

_LL: Oasis?_

_GW: Oasis? Wonderwall?_

_LL: ...G_

_GW: Gotta go, Harry is here!_

Luna tossed her phone on the bed and locked the bathroom door. Finally alone for the first time in literally days. She'd bunked with Padma at the conference. Nice to catch up but less pleasant waiting to use the room's one bathroom.

She set the water to run a bit over warm and stripped down, stepping into the spray. This was clearly a set up. Ever since Draco proposed to Hermione, Ginny'd felt herself a budding matchmaker.

Should have kept that kiss a secret and never mentioned the dream.

In the spectrum of peck on the cheek to furious make-out session, it ranked right around "wedding singer, church tongue". Soft, sweet, not spitty or gratuitous.

They'd both been caught, single and unawares, in the kitchen on New Year's Eve, Harry and Ron in the living room belting out the countdown to ball drop at the top of their lungs. She'd looked up at him, wild eyes and leaning. He'd had a beer in each hand but set them on the counter behind her, to draw her in close and tuck his hand behind her ear. A slip of her tongue touched his lip and it could have lasted an eternity or a moment as his lips parted and his other hand wrapped around her waist to pull her close.

A raccous Draco clattered into the kitchen, Neville pulled away before a trailing Hermione bounced up to Luna, to gush over a ring.

Here in an instant, gone in a flash.

The dream, months later, unprompted and unbidden. At the time Luna was dating Oliver Wood and while he gained exemplary marks in most categories, he was never present in her dreams. One night as the guest of honor in the room of requirement, sleeping off a long celebratory bar crawl for Hermione's promotion, it happened.

The dream was a fragment. Luna was on the run from the law at University and ducked into an open doorway in the dormitory that had failed her as a shortcut in her escape. Thankfully the resident of the room had stepped out and she slipped behind the door into the closet as heavy boots thundered down the hallway. If not escape, then evade.

The sounds of pursuit faded into a stairwell and Luna emerged from the closet, gently re-spacing the hangars to avoid detection. When she turned around Neville was there in the center of the room in just shower shoes and a towel, a sprinkle of damp hair curling across his bare chest.

Neville looked at her like he hadn't eaten in a week, a ravenous expression she wasn't sure she had ever seen him wear. No lies in those eyes. Two steps towards her as Luna took one step back, he reached past her to push the door closed and then slid home the lock. In the next motion she was crushed against the door, his other arm around her and his face buried in her neck.

"Lu, thank god, I saw the police..."

She slid both hands across his back, fingertips trailing Neville's spine to bring him closer. It felt so real, so exquisite to be held like the world could be ripped away in the next moment.

When she woke up, the gut wrenching loss of him mixed with a flush of relief she was safe in the Deux and not a wanted fugitive. The dream lingered in Luna's mind all day. How could that one kiss echo the depth of conviction of how his skin would feel and what she knew of Neville?

And what now?

They'd politely danced around each other for six months. Comfortable in the same room with a group but never alone.

She stepped out of the shower into a fresh towel. One hand caressed the terry cloth robe, stilled, while the other rose to stroke the silk. Decision time.


	4. Chapter 4

Laundry set into the dryer and ensconced in the frothy ankle length lilac marshmallow monsteosity that was her new robe, Luna headed downstairs. Neville was watching tv with one arm slung over the couch. He smiled and brightened at the sight of her, asking "ready for stew?"

"Yes please, and thank you. The robe suits very nicely."

"Should have been replaced sooner. Shall we?" He stood and gestured for Luna to proceed him into the kitchen.

Already waiting were a pair of oversized mugs, spoons, and a package of oyster crackers. Starving Luna scooped out stew into both mugs and she crushed some crackers into hers before leaving a few whole to float on top.

"I like to leave the ones in the bag with hope."

He nodded, smirking slightly, before responding, "I know, you've mentioned."

Leaving him to fuss with the crock pot settings she made her way to the couch. He'd been watching American baseball, the Nationals were leading the match against another team in red. Luna found it fascinating how there was not a set total time or an ideal score, it could only end after a specific set of circumstances.

She settled into what had become her spot, at the end of the couch almost tucked into the corner of the mismatched L shaped sectional sofa but with a view of the door and the whole room save the stairs. Neville, however, tended to float around wherever best fit the size of the group. On the couch, the floor, a folding chair from the closet, leaning against a wall, he never seemed to mind a new view.

When Neville crossed the tv to sit in what remained Harry's defacto chair perpendicular to her, Luna shifted. He'd brought her a glass of water and their stew mugs were sharing the end table.

"Thank you again, so thoughtful Nev."

He nodded, having already started to eat his stew. It had to have been cooking for hours, maybe even went into the pot when she got on a plane, the cubes of meat almost melted apart in her mouth. Luna chewed slowly, sipped a bit of broth, thoughtfully, then spoke quietly.

"What is this?"

"What do you mean?" Tiny lies, in his eyes, playing coy did not suit Neville very well. Straightforwardity and honesty were his sword and shield.

"The ride? The robe? Stew, baseball, and my lamp? is this when you tell me everyone else we know was abducted by Russians?"

He choked a little, dusty cracker bits escaped the corner of his mouth.

She laid a hand on his wrist, "Neville..." his name slipped from her lips as she willed him to speak. When he started coughing, he stood quickly and went past her into the powder room to hack loudly and spit in the sink, running water to flush the offending cracker bits down the sink. Neville closed the door and with one longer-than-expected pause-and-glance back at her before he disappeared into the kitchen.

Luna, warmed by the stew and concerned, picked up her stew mug to follow him under the guise of acquiring seconds.

They nearly collided as she entered the kitchen and he came around the corner, his water glass in hand. In the span of a heartbeat she set her mug down on the counter before pausing to meet his eyes, her gaze flickered to his lips before he dropped his chin to kiss her. She stepped to push against him, taking the glass from his hand to set beside her own before he took two steps and pressed her back into the wall. His mouth was warm, supple stew flavored lips that had haunted her since their first kiss in this same kitchen.

Infinite moments ticked by imperceptibly as she shifted slightly and he took a step back.

"Luna, I'm sorry" came unbidden, raggedly as he spoke sowly to recover his breath.

"Sorry for what? It was a very nice kiss." She offered optimistically before he glanced down at the robe again and her face crumpled slightly.

"Kiss me once, shame on me... kiss me twice..." she had started in a singsong before a wave of exhasution, jetlag, and six months of entangled emotions fought to the surface.

"No, shhh, not what I meant" he soothed as he took one hand, his water, and she allowed him to pull her back to the living room leaving her decoy mug behind. He sat on the other end of the couch and she crossed to sit again in her corner, the ghost of a caress and her hand slipped from his.

"I'm sorry I let this build so long, for allowing so much time to pass after New Year's and then the whole robe fiasco, I wanted to ask-"

Neville's next words died on his lips as Luna lifted one finger to her tired smile. She scooted across the couch, lifted his arm and wriggled her way under, leaning him against the arm of the couch and nestled against his side.

"I want a nap."

Cozied up together, Luna was asleep and snoring before the pitcher could strike out the side, Neville shifted slightly careful not to wake her and settled in for a content afternoon.


	5. Chapter 5

_Last chapter. Writing soundtrack: Hope Maike's "Exorcism of a Spinster" looped on repeat. __Thanks for reading along! _

* * *

Startled awake by the buzz of the dryer as the cycle reached completion, Luna blinked her bleary eyes. Somewhere in the span of an hour her pillow turned all firm and vaguely man shaped. She had gone from leaning against him to one arm pinned by the back cushion and the rest of her lethargic form fully sprawled out across him. Neville had a Luna blanket.

He half smiled, dazzling as ever, but she broke the contented silence first. "Did you fall asleep?"

"No, well, maybe except for my arm." As she realized he was pinned beneath her and half struggled to reposition, he took the opportunity to nestle in and hold her close. Neville took Luna's free hand in his and interlaced their fingers resting on his chest.

"Does it count as sleeping together if only one sleeps?"

He flushed, then softly replied "laundry aside, you are welcome to sleep as long as you like."

Luna's brow furrowed in slight mock confusion. "But the linterbugs will wreck havoc if the clothes are left unattended, they've been nesting in the room of requirement."

Neville chuckled and kissed her gently. "Carry on."

She shifted her weight off to the side and found her feet as they untangled limbs, he allowed her to pull him upstairs to the dryer at the top of the stairs. He paused to lean against the wall, the whisper of a caress and his hand slipped from hers.

Luna opened the dryer door and out tumbled a sock as an aqua tie-dyed dress threatened to follow to the floor. She extracted it carefully, holding it in front of her robe with a little twisting sashay.

"How was the conference?" Neville queried as she hung the dress over his outstretched arm.

"Interesting, as expected." She pulled the rest of the clothes into an empty basket. "Exhausting, surprisingly."

Luna picked up the basket, rested it low on her hip and took a step towards the back room. Tilted her head and waited for him to follow with the dress. Slinging the basket on the bed she turned to take the dress from Neville to lay it out smooth on the bed, carefully patting out the fabric.

"Why not hang it in the closet?" His voice was low, one hand raking back through his hair.

"Easy," Luna straightened and turned to take his other hand in hers again, "there's always the risk it will fall in love with a Weasley sweater and I'll never see it again."

"Love?"

"Could be, someday," and her hand tingled as he reached to kiss her again.

This kiss was different, heavier, more energetic since she has had rest and he responds in kind. Luna twists free to take one step back and sit on the edge of the bed not occupied with the dress, toyed with the lilac robe belt as Neville sharply inhaled.

"Not here." His voice now firm with their newfound solidarity, and confidence, the half lies from the afternoon are banished from his eyes.

Neville led her back down the hall, to his room, and as the door opened Luna saw hundreds of battery operated tea lights twinkling, scattered across every surface. Fairy lights were wound around his pothos and woven into his jasmine, and the whole scene is intoxicatingly Neville, truly the jungle of her wildest imagination.

Luna's first tentative steps into his room reveal earthy green from threshold to windowsill. "...but what if I'd agreed to brunch instead?"

He laughed, the first fullbodied release of his delight and slipped the door closed behind them before he pulled her into a hug, her heart pounding.

"I am quite sure they're having a lovely time."

"Do they know?" She arched into him, twining one hand behind his neck and the other sweeping his hair back.

"No, they could someday." He met her gaze, studied her thoughtful expression.

"What about the lights?"

"I had hope. After brunch I would have to turn them off, one-" dipping to kiss her cheek. "...by one-" then tilting his head to kiss her opposite ear. "...by one-"

"...by infinity" then she steadied his head and guided him in for a kiss firmly on her lips.

This kiss too, different even than the last with more substance than Luna ever dreamed a kiss could contain and he walked her backwards, pressing her towards the bed. She slipped her hand into his, tracing them both down again to the robe tie and as he lifts it the robe slips open.

Neville's fingers grasp blue silk.

His eyes widen as his brain registers the texture, the sight before him breathless.

"Did YOU know?"

She smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

"I had hope."


End file.
